Newspapers across Norway have reported problems with Volkswagen T5-based ambulances. Almost all of them have got their engines replaced. Some have had several engine replacements. The problems are associated with Volkswagen’s Common Rail diesel biturbo engine with engine code CFCA. It has 180 hp and a torque of 400 Nm at 1500-2000 rpm.

The Norwegian importer and dealership, Møller Bil, have replaced all the faulty engines completely free of charge to all hospitals involved in the scandal. The bills have probably been covered by The Volkswagen Group in Germany. Without such an effective follow-up, the engine issue might have escalated to larger dimensions. It might be known as a problem far beyond being a problem with some ambulances.

“The vehicles are too heavy for this type of engine,” claims a representative from Møllergruppen, the importer’s holding company. The bodywork is built in Finland and sold through VBK, a Norwegian coachbuilder. Somewhere else I have read that “… the ambulances work under much more critical conditions than ordinary vehicles.” This refers, among others, to the fact that many engines go straight from a cold start to full throttle. One press spokesman also claims that “just a few ambulances are affected.”

Many more are affected.

The engine code CFCA is delivered to T5 Transporters and Caravelles across Europe. CFCA engines produced in 2010 and 2011 are involved. It is easy to verify this. Although the 180 hp engines were not particularly widespread in Norway during these years, I find an alarming high number of T5s for sale on the web based market place “Finn.no” where it clearly says that the engine has been replaced.

The problems are serious.

Volkswagen has not made any public announcements as to what may have caused the engine problems. On certain web forums, some involved technicians have explained that manufacturing defects have caused inferior alloy of the cylinder liners. There is also another recent theory that a faulty oil cooler has sent metal shavings into the oil stream. I think the first explanation is more plausible, because a defective oil cooler would have been far easier to spot and replace.

Anyway, it is a an error made at one of Volkswagen’s production plants. And the effects are the same. Excessive wear on the cylinder walls, pistons and piston rings. The first sign of damage is that oil consumption increases. As the wear increases, a number of subsequent damages may occur, as well.

The same fault may affect more than one engine type.

It is not unlikely that the same manufacturing error may affect other engines within the same corporation. If you own an Audi A5 2.0 TFSI 180 hp produced between 2010 and 2011 (engine code CDNB, possibly CDNC), you will sooner or later get the same problem as Norwegian ambulance drivers. We are talking about the same symptoms, – serious damage to the cylinder walls, pistons and piston rings and an excessive oil consumption.

The first thing you’ll notice, is high oil consumption.

According to Audi’s specifications, an oil consumption of 1 liter per 2000 kilometer is considered normal. It is only when the consumption exceeds this level that you can claim a warranty. In the US, Audi has admitted manufacturing defects, and granted extended warranty for affected owners up to 8 years or 80,000 miles (128,000 kilometer). In the UK, Audi has admitted some engine problems in the wake of a BBC program. In Norway, affected owners are followed up through their regular service programs. Owners with A5s who got their cars before the country specific 5-year warranty was introduced in 2011, have probably got their problems fixed even if they have fallen outside the old 3-year warranty period. It is nevertheless worth noting that Norwegian dealers follow a though justice regarding their responsibility. Only owners who have followed the service program meticulously, are supported. If you are unable to document one single oil change, or have had your car chip-tuned, you have lost all chances of being followed up.

I suppose the Norwegian importer, Møller Car, continues to follow up on T5 and A5 owners even after the regular warranty expires. But at some point in time their responsibility must expire as well. Then the owners are left to themselves. Perhaps secondary owners who have no idea that their cars had a serious hidden fault.

The problems are not related to what is called “Monday cars”, which only affects certain cars in production. It applies to all the aforementioned engines. The question is not “if”, but rather “when” problems arise. Owners spending few miles on the road, changing oil more frequently than Volkswagen/Audi’s longlife service program, using indoor parking – and driving carefully, may get their engines to last longer than average.

But for how long?

That’s the question you should ask yourself if you own one of the affected cars, or are considering buying one. Even if everything looks fine today, it is a considerable risk that the problem appear later in the car’s life time cycle. When you can no longer count on getting any support from the dealers?